Technology Leadership That Scales With You
Get the strategic technology guidance you need, exactly when you need it. From early-stage architecture decisions to scaling high-performance teams, Smirnov Labs provides fractional CTO services designed to grow with your business.
Silicon Valley Expertise,
Startup Flexibility
Every startup faces unique technical challenges. Whether you're defining your MVP architecture, scaling to meet demand, or building a world-class engineering team, the right technical leadership makes all the difference.
With 5 years at Google and experience as a startup CTO, Ivan brings battle-tested expertise from both ends of the spectrum—helping you avoid costly mistakes while moving fast.
What Makes Us Different
- ✓ Client-First Approach: We work to make ourselves obsolete by building your internal capabilities
- ✓ Hands-On + Strategic: Not just advice—we roll up our sleeves and execute
- ✓ Battle-Tested: Real experience from Google-scale systems and startup velocity
- ✓ Flexible Engagement: Part-time, project-based, or ongoing advisory—your choice
Fractional CTO Leadership
Get a seasoned technology leader without the full-time commitment. Perfect for early-stage startups that need executive-level technical guidance but aren't ready to hire a full-time CTO.
What You Get:
- • Technology strategy aligned with business goals
- • Technical due diligence for fundraising
- • Architecture reviews and recommendations
- • Engineering team leadership and mentorship
- • Vendor evaluation and technology selection
- • Board-level technical reporting
Ideal For:
- • Pre-seed to Series A startups
- • Non-technical founders
- • Companies preparing for fundraising
- • Teams transitioning between CTOs
Platform Architecture & Design
Build a technical foundation that scales. From MVP architecture to microservices transformation, get the right architecture for your current stage and future growth.
What You Get:
- • System architecture design and documentation
- • Microservices and API design
- • Database schema design and optimization
- • Scalability planning and implementation
- • Technical debt assessment and remediation
- • Architecture decision records (ADRs)
Common Scenarios:
- • Building MVP from scratch
- • Refactoring monolith to microservices
- • Preparing for 10x user growth
- • Multi-tenant SaaS architecture
Technical Roadmapping & Strategy
Translate business objectives into actionable technical plans. Create roadmaps that balance innovation, technical debt, and delivery velocity.
What You Get:
- • 6-12 month technical roadmaps
- • Feature prioritization frameworks
- • Technology stack evaluation
- • Build vs. buy analysis
- • Resource and budget planning
- • Risk assessment and mitigation plans
Deliverables:
- • Quarterly technical OKRs
- • Detailed implementation timelines
- • Cost projections and ROI analysis
- • Executive-level presentations
Custom R&D & Prototyping
Validate technical feasibility before committing resources. Build proof-of-concepts, explore emerging technologies, and de-risk innovation initiatives.
What You Get:
- • Rapid proof-of-concept development
- • Technology spike investigations
- • AI/ML feasibility studies
- • Integration prototypes
- • Performance benchmarking
- • Technical documentation and findings
Focus Areas:
- • Agentic AI systems
- • MCP (Multi-Compute Protocol) servers
- • Real-time data processing
- • Emerging tech evaluation
Infrastructure & DevSecOps
Build reliable, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure. From cloud architecture to CI/CD pipelines, implement best practices that support rapid iteration.
What You Get:
- • Cloud infrastructure design (AWS, GCP, Azure)
- • Kubernetes and container orchestration
- • CI/CD pipeline implementation
- • Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Pulumi)
- • Security best practices and compliance
- • Monitoring and observability setup
Outcomes:
- • Reduced deployment time
- • Improved system reliability
- • Lower infrastructure costs
- • Enhanced security posture
Team Building & Engineering Hiring
Hire the right engineers and build a high-performing team culture. From interview processes to onboarding, create a foundation for long-term success.
What You Get:
- • Hiring strategy and role definitions
- • Technical interview design and training
- • Candidate screening and evaluation
- • Engineering culture development
- • Onboarding program design
- • Performance management frameworks
Specialties:
- • First engineering hires
- • Engineering leadership recruiting
- • Technical assessment design
- • Remote team building
How We Work Together
Discovery
Free 30-minute consultation to understand your challenges and goals
Assessment
Deep dive into your technology stack, team, and business objectives
Plan
Develop a tailored engagement plan with clear milestones and deliverables
Execute
Hands-on collaboration with regular check-ins and measurable progress
Flexible Engagement Models
Every startup is different. We offer flexible arrangements that fit your stage, budget, and needs.
Fractional
Ongoing part-time CTO engagement. Regular strategic oversight with hands-on execution as needed.
- • 4, 8, or 16 hours/week (half-day increments)
- • Monthly retainer
- • Flexible scope
Project-Based
Fixed-scope engagements for specific initiatives. Perfect for architecture reviews, roadmaps, or hiring.
- • 4-12 week projects
- • Fixed deliverables
- • Clear milestones
Advisory
Strategic guidance for companies with existing technical leadership. Regular check-ins and ad-hoc support.
- • 5-10 hours/month
- • On-call support
- • Strategic focus
Transparent Pricing: All engagements include clear scope, deliverables, and pricing upfront. No surprises, no hidden fees. Just honest, value-driven partnership.
Ready to Level Up Your Technology?
Let's discuss your technical challenges and explore how Smirnov Labs can help you build, scale, and succeed.
Free 30-minute consultation • No commitment required